There has been a surge of fervor and activity around crisis mapping lately, thanks to rapidly expanding access to mobile devices and social media, as well as to some high profile success stories.
Crisis maps were used in Haiti, Afghanistan, Libya, Egypt, Kenya, and elsewhere, providing real-time information for everything from disaster relief to political violence and election monitoring.
But, as the field matures, how do we turn this information into insight that engages and empowers local communities in conflict prevention and peace-building? How do we move from “map making” to “problem solving” using the crowd-sourced data generated by these powerful technology platforms? What’s an appropriate role for governments and international organizations — “hands-on” or “hands-off?”
Join Aggrey Willis as he grapples with colleagues from other conflict-prone zones on the above pertinent questions on this audio link http://www.usip.org/newsroom/multimedia/audio/crisis-community-mapping-peacebuilding-tool
Dr. Aggrey Willis Otieno 